FUKUOKA, Japan (Interstat) — The Pacific League-leading Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks host the Chiba Lotte Marines on Friday night at Fukuoka Yahuoku! Dome, opening a weekend series with first place on the line.

SoftBank (44-29-2) holds a commanding lead in the standings, while Lotte (36-33-3) sits in the middle of the pack, eight games back. The Hawks have won four of their last five, including a 3-1 victory over Seibu on Thursday, powered by right-hander Ryosuke Ohtsu’s seven innings of three-hit ball.

Ohtsu (2-2) takes the mound Friday on three days’ rest. In his last outing, he allowed one earned run and struck out four. Over his previous two starts, he worked 13 combined innings, allowing four earned runs with nine strikeouts.

Lotte counters with right-hander Tokito Kawamura, who threw seven scoreless innings Wednesday in a 5-0 win over Rakuten. Kawamura allowed six hits with three strikeouts. His previous start was rougher — six earned runs in five innings against Nippon-Ham — but he rebounded with efficiency.

The teams are familiar foes. Their last three meetings in Chiba all ended in ties — two scoreless draws and a 3-3 thriller in 12 innings on June 28. Overall this season, SoftBank holds a 5-2-3 edge in the season series.

Lotte enters after winning three of its last four, including two straight in Sendai. Catcher Toshiya Satoh homered and drove in two runs in Wednesday’s win.

SoftBank, winners of four of its last five, got a home run and an RBI from first baseman Ryoya Kurihara in Thursday’s victory.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Hawks win, and its ELO system gives SoftBank a 68.8 percent probability of victory.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time. The teams continue the series Saturday and Sunday.